Food cooking and eating – stories and ideas from a passionate foodie

Posts tagged ‘rocket science’

Stefano Hatfield is the editor of The i (the 20p a day cut down version of the Independent). (I’m not mean – it’s just a time thing…). With a name like his, he is, naturally, of mixed parentage – English dad, Italian mum.

I’m very interested in his take on the chattering classes views of the horse meat scandal. “as the guard slips and they sneer at the poor for buying cheap frozen products”. His mum (widowed twice and then bringing the kids up as a single parent) would cook in the art of cucina povera – cooking of the poor.

Some grown, some given

It isn’t rocket science to make the most of what you have. Buying less, buying better quality and locally, and using it all with as little waste as possible could easily make your food spend much lower.

You may have to peel stuff, wash it and chop it up – but it is good fun. Look, we all can and do cheat on occasions (although I do still laugh in the face of a sealed tray of mashed potato for £1.50). There is a time and place for a ready meal, or something as part of a meal that just makes the whole thing easier – but most things can and should be cooked from scratch. We don’t teach it enough in schools. We don’t pick things up from our mums, because they have been convenienced out of the cooking habit too.

I read a review recently bemoaning the fact that most newer cook books don’t have sections on what to do with leftovers. I beg to differ – mine does! And has a chapter on The Four Day Chicken. (Roast, Second roast micro-waved, risotto on day 3, and chicken soup day 4). Check it on Amazon! “(Can Men Cook?)”